For Good
by CominUpWithaPennameIsntMyForte
Summary: Slight AU within the realm of S3E2. The car accident won't happen; instead, the two lovely ladies will see 'Wicked'. This is an exploration of how lyrics from an extraordinary musical can impact an estranged friendship. COMPLETE.
1. The Rizzoli Matriarch's Scheme

**A/N:** Once again, I'd like to thank **Harrytoad** for proofreading! Also, I am dedicating this to my BFF; you know who you are :)

**Disclaimer: **I do not own nor do I hold any rights to anything regarding 'Rizzoli & Isles' and 'Wicked'.

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**Chapter 1**

**The Rizzoli Matriarch's Scheme**

It's seven o'clock on a nice and sunny Sunday morning. When Angela enters Maura's kitchen, she notices the newspaper is out of its plastic covering and laying neatly on the island counter next to the fruit bowl. As she continues to look around, she observes a pot of coffee has been brewed, and after taking a sip, notes that it's not decaf. She turns to look outside the bay window in the kitchen and sees Maura out on her patio doing her morning Yoga. _Poor dear. She's probably not sleeping well again and why she's out there earlier than usual today._

Angela is broken out of her reverie when the front door opens and closes with a bang. Looking up, half expecting it to be Jane, she sees her middle child Frankie.

"Hey Ma!" Frankie calls out as he makes his way over to sit on the barstool on the other side of the island counter.

"Shh! Maura's outside doing her Yoga. Use your inside voice. I don't want you to startle her." She chastises him.

"Okay, okay. Sorry Ma." He responds with his hands in the air.

"So are you here to chat with your poor lonely mutha or are you here for breakfast?" Angela asks coyly, setting up her trap.

But of course, Frankie has had many encounters of this variety and knows exactly how to answer. "Aww, come on Ma! You ain't lonely." He says, with the trademark Rizzoli grin.

With that Angela starts to riffle through the cabinets and fridge looking for ingredients to make him a hearty breakfast, fit for someone just coming home after pulling the graveyard shift.

Placing breakfast in front of him, all Angela gets is a distracted "Thanks Ma" as Frankie intently reads the Sports section of the Boston Globe.

"Welcome. Now put that paper down so you can eat." She tells him.

"Almost done. Just lemme finish up this article about the Sox."

Angela sighs. "All right." She picks up the rest of the newspaper and moves to the couch. After getting comfortable, she skims through the news, her mind beginning to wander. _Why does my Janie have to be so stubborn? I understand her perspective, but she needs to be better at hearing the other side of the story. She needs to sit with Maura and _listen _to what she has to say, to what she feels. Hmm, what can be done to help my two girls mend their friendship?_

Just then Angela reaches the front page of the Arts section where she sees a picture of two witches with 'Wicked' written across it that takes up the entire page, with the tagline above it, 'So much happened before Dorothy dropped in.' In bold below it: '**SEE THE SENSATIONAL MUSICAL THAT'S SWEEPING THE NATION FOR A LIMITED TWO WEEK ENGAGEMENT!'**

Her interest piqued, she turns the page and begins reading the article. What really gets her gears turning are these two sentences: "_Wicked_ tells the untold story of an unlikely friendship between two girls who meet at Shiz University" and "Following an encounter with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship meets a crossroads and their lives take very different paths." _Hmm, this may do the trick,_ she muses before flipping back to the front cover of the Arts section to call the number for tickets.

_Janie always did like '__The Wizard of Oz'__ as a child and I know Maura loves the theater. I really think this could work!_ Angela thinks giddily as she waits for a representative to take her order.

"Yes, hi. I would like to buy two tickets for the Friday night showing…Umm, which seats are the best to feel the emotion?…The first five rows of the Orchestra Section, okay. And how much are those? _Ouch, damn…but this is to help my girls get back to normal_…All right, I would like the two most middle seats of row E. I'd like them emailed to me. Yes…very good, thank you. Bye."

After hanging up, Angela's gaze returns to the picture. She to notices that one witch is dark-haired and the other is light-haired._It's like it's meant to be! Oh I sure do hope this starts to get them back on the right track._

All Mama Rizzoli can do now is sit tight and watch how things unfold.


	2. We're Off to See the Wizard

**Chapter 2 **

**We're Off to See the Wizard**

"Oh!"

"Hey! My car!"

Jane and Maura shout simultaneously while exiting the precinct doors as they see Mo hooking the medical examiner's Prius up to his tow truck; the detective's squad car already perched on the long steel truck bed.

"What are you doing to my car?!" Jane exclaims at Mo.

"Uh, my _job_." He retorts. "I don't know how many times I've told you about parking here."

"I park here everyday, Mo." The detective adamantly asserts; backing up this statement with a death glare she normally reserves for murder suspects.

"Oh, not today." He counters, unfazed by her stare. "Have a great rest of your day, all right?" He adds with a chuckle and a cheeky grin before entering his truck, not one to miss an opportunity to rile up the detective.

Still irritated, Jane turns away and glances at the smaller woman standing next to her, directing her annoyance onto her.

Studying Jane's stern face, Maura knows there is nothing she can say to assuage this situation and dejectedly sighs. "I'm gonna rent a car." She states with a little bitterness to her voice as she pulls out her cell phone.

"Yeah, me too." The detective agrees, doing the same.

"Hey!" A voice rings out from behind them at the top of the stairs, immediately making Jane drop her hands to her side as she knows exactly who that voice belongs to. "Don't forget your dinner!" Angela continues as she scurries down the steps towards the two women.

"What is that?" Jane asks as she looks at the blue cooler in her mother's hands.

"Mortadella on foccacia bread, with a little roasted red pepper."

"Korsak put you up to this?" The detective interrogates.

"All I'm going through, and you two can't be civil?" She responds looking back and forth between Maura and Jane, completely ignoring her daughter's question.

"Don't you dare pull the annulment card." Jane warns her mother.

"He wants me to sign a paper that says I didn't want you kids." Angela proceeds, paying no attention to the empty threat.

"Ma we're grown-ups. We know you wanted us."

"If you're such a grown-up, then act like one and stop this!" She demands, looking at Maura too, letting her know that she knows that Jane isn't the only one not acting like an adult.

Maura's face falls a little when Angela scolds her too. But she doesn't wallow in her guilt for long before a smug voice catches her attention.

"Hey. Just saw Big Mo towing your cars. You want to borrow mine?" Frost calls out from his squad car as he pulls up along the sidewalk, beaming when he sees Angela smiling at Jane knowing he successfully played his part in the Rizzoli matriarch's scheme.

"Oh you're good." The detective deadpans, her mother and her partner only smirking in response.

"It's just a musical, Janie. One little thing for your mother, and you can't do it?" She guilt trips her oldest, knowing that she won't say no.

"It _is_ more energy efficient if we take one car." The medical examiner pipes up trying to diffuse the tension.

"Fine, but I'm driving." Jane insists, already making her way over to the driver's side.

"Why do _you_ get to drive?" The honey-blonde incredulously inquires as Angela grabs her arms and directs her towards the passenger side.

"Because it's an unmarked, and because I'm a cop, and because—just get in the car, Maura!" She frustratingly demands, plopping down into the seat.

"Have a good time girls." Frost jests with a little wave.

His comment goes unnoticed as Jane and Maura's bickering starts right back up about what music they will not be listening to on their drive to the theater.

**xxxxxx**

After thirty-two unpleasantly long minutes of radio tag and uncomfortable silence, the two women finally arrive at the Boston Opera House.

By the time they are seated, there's roughly ten minutes left before curtains up, which seem to pass painfully slow since neither woman has talked to the other since they left the precinct. To occupy the time, each of the women look around the venue.

Immediately, the Opera House's Roaring 20s splendor captures the detective's attention. This is her first time going to _any_ theater and she's in awe of how massive, beautiful, and elegant it is.

However, having been to the opera house many times before tonight, Maura is accustomed to the aesthetics, so she finds herself observing the brunette. Upon seeing her mesmerized face, Maura's grudge towards her momentarily lifts from her shoulders, and considers informing Jane about some the historical background of this place to add more to her experience.

Yet, the look Maura receives from Jane as hazel eyes briefly meet chocolate ones, indicate that her 'fun facts' would be ill received.

Quickly averting their gazes towards the stage that's a few feet away from them, the women ignore one another as they delight in a sight that's a completely new experience for both of them.

_This set design is very intriguing. It looks to be one of the more intricate ones I have seen for a musical_. Maura ponders, recalling the numerous shows she's been to since she was a small child.

_Huh, that's cool. Now I can see how far the different areas are from one another_. Jane muses as she surveys the large cloth-like map from one of her favorite childhood films. _Woah! What the hell is that?!_ She internally blurts out as her eye catches the enormous dragon looming overhead. _Why is that there? I don't remember seeing one of those in the movie. I know there are flying monkeys. But dragons? I don't see why…_

Jane's inner ramblings are cut short as the opening notes from the orchestra pit booms throughout the theater, summoning the dragon to life.


	3. Changed for Good

**Chapter 3**

**Changed for Good**

**A/N:** Bolded words are lyrics. Possible 'Wicked' spoilers. Read at your own discretion.

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Sitting back down after the standing ovation, Jane and Maura are more at a loss of words than before. Not wanting to get caught up in the swarm of people exiting the theater, Jane gently grasps the smaller woman's arm as she braces her hands on the armrest to stand, indicating to her to remain seated.

After several moments, the detective regards her surroundings and observes that the theater has emptied enough to leave without annoyingly bumping into anyone and gets up, stretching. "Coffee?" She timidly suggests.

Mimicking the brunette's actions, Maura stands up as well. "Yes, that sounds lovely." She replies with a small smile, suddenly filled with an ounce of hope that perhaps the moment they shared earlier will result in rectifying their friendship.

Arriving at the nearest coffee shop, the women place their orders, receive their drinks, and find themselves a small table in the back.

A couple of sips and a couple of awkward glances later, the brunette is the first to speak. "That was something, wasn't it?"

"Mhm, it sure was. Very powerful and moving."

Jane only nods in response, knowing full what Maura is alluding to.

_It's no secret that Maura has always been the emotional one of the dynamic duo. But tonight during the most poignant song of the show, she witnesses a very rare side to the normally stoic Detective Jane Rizzoli._

_**Like a handprint on my heart**_

_**And now whatever way our stories end**_

_**I know you have re-written mine**_

_**By being my friend**_

…

_**Because I knew you**_

_**I have been changed **_

_**For good**_

_As Maura digests these revealing words, a lone tear escapes down her cheek. Her story before Jane was a dull one. She went to work, performed necessary tasks, clocked out, and went back to her empty house; not once interacting with any co-workers outside of her job, not once truly living. _

_Then Jane Rizzoli came into her life and upended her mundane routine. Now she goes to work, performs necessary tasks, clocks out, socializes with friends at the Dirty Robber after work, sometimes grabbing dinner and a movie with her best friend, and goes back to her home_; _her place of residence no longer feels like a cold structure that provides shelter and extravagant necessities, but as a place where she feels like she belongs. _

_Because of this feisty, sarcastic, lovable detective, her story has been re-written in the very best of ways: for good._

_**And just to clear the air**_

_**I ask forgiveness**_

_**For all the things I've done you blame me for**_

_Caught up in her reflection, Maura is startled when she feels Jane's trouser-clad knee brushing up and down against her bare one in quick, rhythmic intervals. Glancing over, Maura sees a distressed Jane fidgeting with her hands, rubbing her scars, her eyes fixated on the emotional scene unfolding in front of her on stage._

_This sight stuns Maura because she has never seen the detective this restless._

_And then it hits her._

_These simple yet powerful words have penetrated the detective's tough emotional armor. But being her stubborn self, Jane won't let any tears fall and tries her hardest not to cry._

_Seeing the brunette in such a state of agony, Maura breaks the unspoken no-touch, no-talk agreement and grabs her best friend's hand, holding on tight._

_Though initially shocked at the sudden contact, Jane welcomes the touch and squeezes back, her eyes still trained on the stage. _

_**But then I guess we know **_

_**There's blame to share**_

_Now Maura's hand gently tugs at the hand in hers, silently requesting that Jane looks at her. _

_**And none of it seems to matter anymore**_

_At these words and the powerful harmonization of the singers, watery hazel eyes meet teary chocolate ones; communicating everything they've been feeling throughout the past months without speaking a single word._

_Gazing deep into one another's eyes, the rest of the world falls away, leaving them softly smiling at one another as tears of relief stream down their cheeks._

"I can't remember the last time I cried like that." Jane confesses sheepishly.

"I can't believe how much those words resemble our situation." Maura responds, tightly closing her eyes, trying to calm down as the showdown scene suddenly comes to mind.

Noticing the change in her friend, Jane quickly scoots her chair closer to her before comfortingly holding her hand. "What is it Maur?"

Upon the contact, the honey-blonde slowly opens her eyes and focuses on the strong hand protectively covering her own; immediately feeling relaxed. _It's almost as if it holds the power to extract all my heartache in one simple touch_. _Oh, quit being ridiculous! You know that's impossible._ Maura chastises herself before taking a couple of deep, calming breaths before beginning. "I just thought of the scene where Elphaba thought Glinda was involved in her sister's death, and how angry she was at the thought that her best friend could have had a hand in such a heinous crime. Now I know they're just fictional characters and there's essentially a time limit to musicals but—" Her rambling is cut short as Jane squeezes her hand, gently conveying to her to just spit out whatever it is that's bothering her. "But it amazed me how easily Elphaba and Glinda forgave each other after all they went through. Yet there we were. Ignoring each other for months all because I was foolishly angry with you for shooting Doyle; angry with you for shooting a mass murdering mob boss! What was I thinking?!" She pauses and takes another deep breath, the grip on her hand never wavering. "The thought of losing you scares me more than anything." She finishes with a whisper.

"Even more than your phobia of that flesh-eating bacteria thingy?" Jane quips, hoping that her always ill-timed humor will provoke her friend to look up at her, which she does with a squinting glare.

"It's just…you're friendship means _so_ much to me. Before you, Jane, I never really knew how to live. By coming into my life and by being my best friend, you really have changed me for good." Maura reveals, her eyes gazing into bottomless brown ones, finding solace.

"Me too, Maur. Me too." She smiles reassuringly. "My wardrobe has never looked better!" She admits facetiously, always the first to default to humor in intense situations.

"Oh, Jane." She tries to chastise but comes out as a weak snicker. "Well you know what? During the 'Popular' number you finally caught a glimpse of what I go through on a daily basis. It really is a hassle getting you to open up to new outfits." She jests back, letting out a more genuine laugh as she sees a look of mock hurt on Jane's face.

Once the laughter dies down, Maura is the first to apologize. "I'm sorry if you are." She states, playfully punching Jane's arm.

"Okay, but I'm _less_ sorry." She counters, eliciting yet another chuckle from both of them. "No, we were both jerks." She expresses more sincerely.

"No, we were both assholes." Maura says with the straightest face she can muster, Jane's eyebrows almost disappearing into her hairline.

"I missed you." Maura gushes upon seeing her best friend's comical facial expression, disintegrating any residual anger that may have been left towards her LLBFF.

"I missed you too." Jane's voice breaks as she stands, pulling Maura up with her. Bringing the smaller woman in for a bruising hug, Jane snuggles her head in her neck and closes her eyes, appreciating this moment and hoping that they will never have to go through this emotional rollercoaster again.


End file.
